The Purple Gang worked out an arrangement with Capone letting him have the southwest of the state and also supplying him.  Michigan provided 3/4 of the smuggled alcohol during Prohibition.  (The Purple Gang even sent someone to help with the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.)
 
I do a Prohibition program, "High Times in Dry Times", personalizing it for areas as much as possible.  I have to mention the problem with gangsters, but do not make it the focus of my program, keeping it lighter.
 
Contact the Historical Society of Michigan, https://hsmichigan.org/, for a program resource.  They have one next week on gangsters of the '20s and '30s, but the focus is up north and the presenter is from UC Berkeley.

LoiS(ongs and audience participation are in my program -- you seem to want something more gritty)

Lois Sprengnether Keel
https://www.lois-sez.com/
 
From: "EMAIL TEAM via Michlib-l" <michlib-l@mcls.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2021 2:53 PM
To: "Newsnotes" <newsnote@googlegroups.com>, "Michlib-l ListServ" <michlib-l@mcls.org>
Subject: [Michlib-l] Al Capone & Gangsters in Michigan
 
Dear Librarians,
 
I am looking for someone who could present a program on Al Capone and the gangsters in Michigan. Did any library have a program on this subject in the past? I know there was The Purple Gang around Detroit, but there were gangsters in southwest Michigan also.
 
Stephanie Daniels, Director
Vanderlyn Community Center & Hartford Public Library
12 Church Street 
Hartford, MI 49057
(269)588-5103